Category: from the grain to the cup.

Enjoying a delicious cup of coffee and its aromas is a process that may require months of work. Next we want to present the process that requires this elaboration, from the seed, until it reaches the cup of coffee

STEP 1

It is not until the coffee beans reach their full ripeness, that is when they turn into a reddish color, when it is cut. This happens between the months of October and February. This process is known as tapixca or harvest. Once cut, it is taken to a wet area known as profit.

STEP 2

The coffee is received by boxes and placed in a siphon tank (inverted pyramid truncated from four sides with a tube to the coffee outlet center of the pulpers). Then comes the grading process.

STEP 3

Fading is the action of separating the grains that have been drilled by drill, which is an insect that penetrates the grain to deposit their eggs and damage it) or also those malformed grains due to lack of nutrients. This is when the first classification is given.

STEP 4

It is the separation of the green grains, which inevitably the harvesters cut and if these do not separate will considerably damage the final taste of the cup. Here begins the second classification process.

STEP 5

The pulping begins. This activity is carried out in mechanical devices that take advantage of the lubricating quality of the pulp of the coffee to separate it from the grain without damaging it. The grains are dragged by the rotation of the pulper, and pressed between the cylinder and the chest to achieve separation of the pulp.

The already pulped grains are sent to a grain sorting machine called a rotary screen. This machine separates the grains from those left with residues of adhered peel. They return to the pulping train to be re-classified to a second quality. Those who have not had these adhesions are considered prime coffee and are sent to the yeast tanks. Here begins the third classification process.

STEP 6

Here are the so-called yeast tanks, a system traditionally used to separate the mucilage from the grain (the myolous substance covering the newly removed grain). It lasts approximately 36 hours, depending on the room temperature and the volume of coffee to be treated.

STEP 7

The washing begins. Once the grain has released the mucilage, it is transported by water to a pump where it is stirred until it is clean.

STEP 8

The grains pass to a brook channel (known as a snake). These channels are divided into four stages, each with a different gradient. At the end of each one is placed along the width of the same a tablet of approximately 5 centimeters of width, that will serve like stop to the grain that comes transporting by water. The heavy grains go to the bottom and the light grains pass the stop or tablet to continue the route through the following stages. The four classification process is performed.

STEP 9

The grain is dried in patios. There are four: one for each quality resulting from the routing, in which the coffee is tended to drain and eliminate the highest possible moisture. This process lasts approximately 36 hours of sunshine. During that time, people with a wooden shovel remove it so that the drying is uniform.

STEP 10

The grain passes to a dryer through rotating cylinders that help the drying of the coffee more quickly. This happens when the harvest volumes are very high, which makes drying in patios impossible.

The cylinders rotate three revolutions per minute and are injected 15 cubic meters of hot water per minute, which will not exceed 60 degrees centigrade. This process lasts from 20 to 24 continuous hours. Each dryer has a capacity of 60 quintals of coffee (approximately 3 tons and a half).

Once dry, this grain is known as parchment coffee (grain covered by a protective shell known as cascabillo).

STEP 11

It is necessary that the coffee, once dry, be stored in wooden sites and / or in sacks of jute or henequen for at least 6 weeks. This is so that the grain accentuates its properties that characterize it, such as: body, aroma and acidity.

STEP 12

Once you have selected the coffees from the store for a particular blend. These are carried to the hopper of the crusher machine which by means of friction separates a second shell that covers each grain, known as ‘cascabillo’.

Once separated the cascabillo of grain to the coffee is known like gold coffee.

STEP 13

The grain passes through a polisher, which is a machine that also by means of friction similar to the crust polishes the golden coffee beans.

STEP 14

Grain collector or air column. It is a vertical duct through which it crosses a high volume of air, which separates the residues of cascabillo that could remain present in the grain. Here comes the fifth classification.

STEP 15

A size classification is done with the aid of a machine, which is used to separate the grains by size by means of vibration. This separation is necessary for the grain to be roasted in a homogeneous way, since if there are smaller grains these would be roasted before the large ones. Enter a sixth classification.

STEP 16

The grain enters a sorter oliver. It is a table dencimétrica that by means of vibrations and a column of air separates the heavier grains of the light ones, being heavier the ones of better quality or gourmet. A seventh classification is then performed.

STEP 17

The grain that is chosen by hand. To have a specialty coffee, it must reach the customer with zero defects. It is when the eighth classification is made, one of the most important: the human eye. It consists of choosing grain by grain and identifying those that still present defects: stains, scrapes, small perforations or deformities.